West Indies' batsman finally showed up for the series as Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo hit fine half centuries to keep New Zealand at bay after the visitors were asked to follow-on. Earlier in the day, Darren Sammy's men turned in a performance that we've come to expect off them in recent days as they were bowled out for 213, despite a fighting 76 by Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Tim Southee was the pick of the bowlers with 4 wickets, while Trent Boult and Ish Sodhi too caused some damage.

Asked to follow-on, WI's innings looked destined to go down in a similar route when Kieron Powell was dismissed early, but Edwards and Bravo battled hard and stitched together an important 100+ run stand to take the team a decent position. They were still in need of a miracle to save the game, but the determination and fight shown by the duo would have been a welcome sight for a dressing room that has grown accustomed to seeing their team capitulate.

That they were following-on and that Edwards fell soon after making his fifty, took some sheen off the fightback but it was a stand of great defiance that helped Windies go into day 4 with a slim ray of hope about saving the game. Teh visitors ended the day at 168/2, still 228 runs behind, NZ massive total of 609.

The day's play had begun under a cloud with news the International Cricket Council was investigating three former New Zealand players for match-fixing, though the current players failed to allow that to distract them from pushing on to their first test victory since Brendon McCullum took over the captaincy last year.

Bravo (37) and Samuels (14) resumed at 67 for two and had barely added to their score when the right-handed Samuels was trapped in front by Trent Boult. Samuels reviewed the decision and it showed the ball missing the off stump by centimetres to overturn the on-field decision by umpire Nigel Llong. The visitors, however, were unable to capitalise with Bravo half-heartedly wafting at a full Southee delivery three balls later and McCullum pulled off a diving catch at gully.

Samuels followed in Southee's next over when he prodded at a rising delivery that flew to Taylor at first slip before the pair combined again after the drinks break to dismiss Deonarine to leave the tourists floundering at 106 for five.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin, however, inched West Indies to lunch from there in with a steady 50+ run stand. The 39-year-old Chanderpaul was on 62, notching up 11,000 runs in Test cricket with a boundary off Neil Wagner when he moved to 37, while Ramdin was on 11 at the break.

The hosts moved quickly to wrap up the rest of the innings after the break with Trent Boult playingwrecker-in-chief with 2 quick wickets. Ramdin was the first out, edging behind to BJ Watling, while the well-set Chanderpaul too couldn't keep the left-armer at bay as he misjudged an in-swinger to be be trapped in front for a swift 76.

Only Darren Sammy offered a sembelence of fight for the visitors, slamming 6 fours in his 22-ball 27 as the last 3 wickets fell for just 30 runs. The Windies were bowled out for 213 - the fifth time in the last 30 days that the team was bowled out for under 250 in Tests.